United blow two-goal lead against basement visitors

Galway United 2

Longford Town 2

Mike Rafferty  at Eamonn Deacy Park

JUST two minutes into Friday night’s Airtricity League contest at Eamonn Deacy Park, Vinny Faherty lit an early fuse as the home side made a perfect start, but well before the final whistle the spark was long gone as a draw proved an acceptable outcome.

Though Enda Curran added a second before the break to give Galway United a two goal advantage, it was a flattering position and credit the visitors who responded well on the resumption.

Matters certainly did not get any better for the home side thereafter as Longford switched to a more attacking formation and were rewarded by a brace of goals that was contributed to by some poor defending.

Obviously, complacency was a factor in this display as it followed their most impressive 2-2 draw with title contenders Cork City two weeks previously, and it looks like the mental challenge of facing lowly opposition did not provide the required stimulation.

On a night when United were without the injured Stephen Folan and Kevin Devaney, they added to the casualty list as Padraig Cunningham is set for another stint on the sidelines.

The young striker was just working his way back to full fitness following a knee injury last season, but two minutes following his introduction, a collision sent him to the ground and it was quickly apparent that he was in trouble and was replaced by Ruairi Keating. It is a cruel blow to the Headford native, who is undergoing tests on his knee this week.

Manager Tommy Dunne made two changes to the starting eleven that saw off Wexford Youths the previous week, with Killian Cantwell replacing the injured Folan at the back, while Enda Curran was given the nod instead of Cunningham.

Faherty notched the first goal in six of United’s games to date and he quickly brought his seasonal tally to eight with the opener within two minutes. A Curran delivery from the left found him in space at the edge of the box and his lob over the advancing Paul Skinner gave them an early 1-0 advantage.

That early highlight should have been a sign of better things to come against a visiting side who had not won since the opening day of the season and who had also not scored an away goal since. Unlike in previous games, the early strike did not get the juices flowing as the action never matched the pace or tempo of the Cork game and chances were certainly at a premium.

Longford had one opportunity to level matters, but leading scorer David O’Sullivan scooped a Kevin O’Connor corner over the bar from ten yards. That was the highlight of the visitors’ opening half forays – but then the home side were not a lot better.

However, on 31 minutes, Curran had a shot following a Faherty knock down deflected out for a corner and the set piece was to provide the home side’s second breakthrough. Ryan Connolly’s right wing delivery made it all the way to the far post, where Curran was lurking to tap into an empty net for a 2-0 interval advantage.

For more, read this week’s Galway City Tribune.